Educational toy



J. H. SEGAL EDUCATIONAL TOY Filed Oct. 12, 1945 v INVENTOR:

Patented Mar. 4, 1947 EDUCATIONAL TOY Jacob Herzl Segal, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Etron Industries, Inc., a corporation of Illinois Application October 12, 1945, Serial No. 621,969

7 Claims.

The present invention relates to educational toys of the type com-prising a block (usually of wood) containing a plurality of recesses adapted to receive correspondingly shaped pegs or other insertable elements. These toys are intended to teach very young children coordination of mind and muscle through selection of an element and insertion in the proper recess. The recesses and elements are so constructed as to preclude interchangeability.

It is the object of this invention to provide an educational toy of the type described which has greater initial appeal to children than the conventional toy and is more effective in sustaining the interest of the child. In general, I incorporate in the toy a battery, an electric lamp and means for causing the lamp to light when the elements are inserted in the correct recesses. The flash of light is a fascinating reward to young children for successful completion of the comparatively simple operation they are called upon to perform. A hell or buzzer may be used instead of a light. Other more specific objects will appear upon reading the following specification and claims and upon referring to the annexed drawings to which they relate.

In the drawings in which a preferred embodi ment of the present invention is disclosed:

Fig. 1 discloses a perspective view of the toy with the triangular element in place;

Fig. 2 is a section upon the line 2--2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 depicts a top plan view of the lower member of the block with the upper member removed; and

' Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the upper member of the block.

The same reference characters designate the same parts in all the figures.

The block I is preferably of a dielectric material such as wood, plastic and the like to avoid the necessity of insulating the various electroconductive elements. The block I is most conveniently constructed of a lower member Ia and an upper member lb which are joined by screws, glue or other suitable means to form one integral block after the elements comprising the electrical circuit have been installed. The upper member lb contains holes 4 preferably differently shaped which appear as recesses when the two members Ia and lb are joined. These recesses 4 receive correspondingly shaped elements 5, of which only the triangular shaped one is shown in the drawings.

On the underside of the upper member lb, there is mounted, by means f screws I8, a cloverleaf shaped switch 6, made of conductive resilient material adapted to withstand repeated flexing. The switch 6, is preferably of such shape and size as to cover completely the recesses 4, and being flush with the underside of the upper member Ia, gives the appearance, when viewed from the top, of being the bottom of the recess. This effect is accentuated by enameling the upper member lb and the topside of the switch 6 the same color.

The upper member lb contains also a centrally located hole I to accommodate a socket 8 and an electric lamp 9. One terminal bracket 8a of the socket 8 is fastened to the switch 6. The other terminal bracket 8b of the socket 8 extends into another recess I!) of the upper member which accommodates a dry cell battery I I, one terminal of which contacts the socket bracket 8b. A plate I2, preferably of translucent plastic covers the socket hole I and the battery recess Ill. The plate I2 may also be of opaque material providing that the portion covering the socket hole I be perforated to permit the light from the lamp 9 to shine through the plate I2. The plate I2 is fastened to the upper member lb with screws I3 01' other means permitting removal of the plate I2 for the purpose of replacing a worn out light bulb or battery.

The lower member Id of the block I is gouged out to form a recess M. In this recess M a metallic contact ring !5 is fastened with staples I6 or other suitable means. The contact ring I5 preferably has a coiled terminal II of sufficient diameter to accommodate and contact one end of the battery II. The recess I4 is of suillcient' depth so that when the two members I a and lb of the block I are joined a clearance will exist between the contact ring I5 and the under side of the switch 5. When the element 5 is inserted in the recess land pressed down, the underside of the switch 8 contacts the staple I6 completes the circuit and causes the lamp to'light. When the pressure is Withdrawn the switch 6 springs back to its position flush with the underside of the upper member I b breaking the cir-' cuit. The switch 6 preferably is of such resiliency that the weight of the peg 4 itself is not sufficient to force it down to establish contact, otherwise the mere insertion of the element 5 would cause the lamp to remain lit and unnecessarily drain th battery. The disclosed construction results in prolonging the life of the battery because the child intermittently flashes the light by exerting pressure when the element 5 is inserted.

Many variations in construction are of course 3 possible without affecting the basic operation of the toy. For example, the hole for the batte y may be eliminated and a recess on the underside of the upper member or on the top side of the lower member of the block may be substituted. In this event it will be necessary to separate the two member's of the block when the battery is replenished. This construction has the advantage of eliminating the', need for the plate !2 and requires only a simple cup shaped shield to cover the light bulb. The means for closing the circuit may also be varied in many ways. For example, a second contact ring may be positioned parallel to contact ring l5 and the terminal bracket 8a of the socket 8 is connected as illustrative and not limitative of my invention and that I reserve the rightto make vari ous changes inform, construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the following claims: a

I claim:

1. In an educational toy of the type compris ing a block containing dissimilarly sized and shaped recesses adapted to accommodate selectively correspondingly dissimilarly sized and shaped elements, the combination with said block and elements of an electrically operated signal Alternatively the switch may be device, means :for energizing .said signal device,

an open circuit between said energizing means and said signal device and a circuit closing switch controllable by pressure exerted through said elements inserted in said recesses.

2. In an educational toy of the type comprising a block containing dissimilarly sized and shaped recesses adapted to receive selectively correspondingly dissimilarly sized and shaped elements, the combination with. said block and elements of a dry cell battery, an incandescent lamp, an open circuit between said battery and said lamp and means for closing said circuit by pressure exerted upon any of said elements inserted in its corresponding recess.

3. In an educational toy of the type comprising a block containing dissimilarly sized and shaped recesses adapted to receive selectively correspondingly dissimilarly sized and shaped elements, the combination of a block composed ofa plurality of members forming an internal compartment, a dry cell battery, an incandescent lamp, an open circuit between said battery and said lamp, a switch mounted on the roof of said compartment and a contact member positioned on the floor of said compartment, said circuit being closable by pressing said switch against 4 said contact member upon the insertion under pressure of an element in a corresponding recess.-

4. In an educational toy of the type comprising a block containing dissimilarly sized and shaped recesses adapted to receive selectively corinternalcompartment, a drycell battery, an incandescent lamp, an open-"circuit-between said,

battery and said lamp, a flexible switch mounted on the roof of said compartment, said switch being of sufficient size to form a complete bottom for each of said recesses, and a contact member positioned on the floor of said compartment, said circuit being closed when said switch is pressed against said contact member by the insertion of an element in its corresponding recess.

5. In an educational toy of the type comprising a block containing dissimilarly sized and shaped recesses adapted to receive selectively correspondingly dissimilarly sized and shaped elements, the combination of a block containing an internal compartment, a drycell battery, an incandescent lamp, an open circuit between said battery and said lamp, 'a flexible pressure operated switch mounted on the floor of said compartncent and a contact member mounted spacedly from said switch and adapted to be contacted thereby when said switch is pressed downwardly to close said circuitby'the insertion of an element in its corresponding recess.

. 6. A toy comprising a body containing a plurality of recesses of predetermined dissimilar sizes and shapes, elements having sizes and shapes complementing portions 0f certain -of said recesses respectively, signal means cooperating with said elements and recesses, and

V rality of recessesof predetermined dissimilar sizes V file of thispatent:

cesses under pressure, but insensitive to mere insertion of said elements therein;

JACOB I-IERZL' sE ALg REFERENCES CITED Q 1 l 2 w The following references are of record in' the UNITED STAT S PATENTS Number Name Date 1,860,895 Marx May 31, 1932 1,932,994 Tucker Oct. 31,1933 2,377,100 Patterson May 29, 1945 1,877,643 Brown Sept. 13;"1932. 1,647,276 Daman Nov.*i1,l927' 741,903 Gates Oct. 20,1903 

